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Monday, October 29, 2012

Mystery Monday: Just in - update on William Jollett

Mystery Monday is a
daily prompt at Geneabloggers that
asks us to share mystery ancestors or mystery records – anything in our family
history research which is currently unsolved. With any luck fellow
genealogy bloggers will lend their eyes to what has been found so far and
possibly help solve the mystery.

It’s a newspaper clipping that arrived in my email just
the other day thanks to Jan Hensley, an online friend with whom I have swapped genealogical
information for several years. (In fact,
her work to find the grave of her patriot ancestor and organize a ceremony to
dedicate a new tombstone inspired me to pursue DAR membership.) Jan found this brief mention of William
Jollett’s run-in with the law:

News clipping courtesy of Jan Hensley

A man giving his name as Wm. Jollett, was arrested on the
26th ult., by Wm. Campbell,
constable of Page county, suspected of having stolen a bay mare, which he had
in his possession. He was committed to
jail by Justice T. M. Almond. He has
light hair, fair complexion, about 22 or 23 years of age, and has a conspicuous
scar upon his neck. The mare, which is
now in possession of Mr. Campbell, is a dark bay, with hind feet white, a
narrow blaze in the forehead, about ten years old, and in good condition.

Harrisonburg Rockingham Register

September 3, 1868

I'm glad to know that William's crime made the news, but now I wonder what caused that conspicuous scar. There's just no end to this mystery.

I am a bit confused about the jail sentence. This article is dated 1868, but the sentence in Richmond, VA began in 1870, I thought. Maybe the first jail time was just holding him in place until the trial. We know he was paroled from the Richmond jail in 1874.

Poor William, he's had a rough time of it and with the exception of the conspicuous scar, there's little chance anyone would recognize him from the description. Now the horse...that's a different story. I bet every man with a blazed bay horse was out checking their barns and pastures. Sounds like the constable of Page County came out ahead on this deal. It's a wonder William didn't get a rope around his conspicuous neck.

It's interesting that we are able to find out so much about the individuals that got into trouble! Sometimes it almost doesn't seem fair. But like my family, the more you find, the more questions you have. Sounds like a good mystery!

You're half-right. We finally found a volunteer. We have a Boyd researcher who is coordinating the purchase of the test. I think she had not yet decided which company to go with. But the people are in place.

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About Me

My name is Wendy. About twenty years ago, I helped my mother research the Jolletts. Since retiring from teaching, I have expanded my research which I share here. When I’m not looking for my own family, I index for FamilySearch and the Greene County Historical Society.
Welcome to Jollett Etc. Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. If you have more information or believe we are related, EMAIL ME at wendymath at cox dot net